Ford F-150 2015–2020

13th generation · P552 · 11,893 complaints, 5,594 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 46,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 29.1% of complaints (3,460 reports, 1,116 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 72,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 32,000 and 110,000 miles.

A single system taking 29.1% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The engine accounts for 15.3% of complaints (1,820 reports, 879 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 87,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 8.9% of complaints (1,054 reports, 354 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 23,292 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 7,170 and 43,000 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 7.0% of complaints (830 reports, 363 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 39,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,000 and 60,000 miles.

The brakes account for 6.6% of complaints (786 reports, 577 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 40,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 13,800 and 60,000 miles.

Body structure accounts for 5.9% of complaints (703 reports, 464 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 17,750 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,900 and 39,900 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2018 model year drew the most — 2,816 complaints — while 2020 drew the fewest at 886. The median year sits at 1,983.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 45 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (7), seats (5), the electrical system (4). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 11,893 complaints filed against this generation, 367 reported a crash; 158 reported a fire; 384 reported an injury; 7 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.1% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 15,000 and 79,500 miles, with a median of 46,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 60,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (45)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Ford F-150 1992–1996
• Ford F-150 1997–2003
• Ford F-150 2004–2008
• Ford F-150 2009–2014
• Ford F-150 2021–2025